You have probably figured out that the recipes I post here swing between fantasy ones I simply can't believe for some reason, those I am interested in making, and what I really am going to make today. Plus a couple extras thrown in each time.

Today, I'm thinking of porcupine meatballs because of what I've got thawed out in the refrigerator. This is an old family recipe, dating back to my dad's mother, and my mother made them frequently, too. The porcupine part refers to the grains of rice that the Joy of Cooking says roll the balls in before baking. My family didn't bother with that, we just mix it into the meat.

Most of the recipes say to use raw rice because it will cook up during the baking, but my mother always used cooked rice, I suspect because at our higher altitude a person doesn't want to take a chance on it not getting cooked through. And if she served partially cooked rice to my dad, he'd probably throw things. The items in parentheses are suggestions from the Joy of Cooking or somewhere. You could use Minute Rice and not worry about it, but I'm not a big fan of Minute Rice.

Family Porcupine Meatballs
1 1/2 pounds ground meat
1/2 cup uncooked or 1 cup cooked rice
(1/2 cup cream or top milk)
1/4 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon green pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
(1/2 teaspoon sage)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 can tomato soup
1 can water

Combine the meat with all but the tomato soup and water. Form into good-sized balls and place in a casserole where they just fit, not a lot of extra room. Pour the undiluted tomato soup over the top, and then the can of water. Cover and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees, or until the meatballs are done through. My grandmother's recipe said to bake for 2 hours, but I'm betting she used a slower oven.

Serve with potatoes in a cheddar cheese sauce and green beans. I saw Paula Deen making these on one of her cooking shows, and she put additional rice in the tomato sauce so if you do that, you don't need the potatoes. If I did that, I might put the cheese sauce on the green beans.

Here is another recipe with a more elaborate tomato sauce. It's out of one of those local cookbooks, this time from the PTA in Hammond, Michigan.

Hammond MI Porcupine Meatballs

1 can tomato soup
1 large can tomato sauce
1 can water
1/4 cup catsup
3 whole tomatoes, cut up
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound ground beef
2 eggs
1 cup uncooked rice (or 1 1/2 cups cooked)
1 tablespoon onion salt

Combine the tomato ingredients to make a sauce. Combine the meat, eggs, rice, and onion salt. Form into balls and brown slightly. Put into sauce. Simmer 1 to 1 1/2 hours on stovetop, or in oven at 350 degrees.